[C.O.M.]

Hey, to everyone. New here and a new HK owner. Does anyone here use this gun for IDPA? I have the full size version. I am looking for a good holster leather or kydex I will consider all suggestions but looking for IDPA approved holsters currently. Thanks in advance.

 

[Blazer-6]

i'll recommend a Silent Thunder from Garrett Industries. they are delightful kydex holsters, lined with leather in the inside. if you're serious about competitive shooting with the USP, i'll also recommend an HK match trigger set, conversion to V9 (if allowed where you intend to shoot, i shoot IPSC standard), an HK45 safety lever, and a jet funnel magwell. I also recommend a reduced power (10#) recoil spring from wolff, since the USP behaves oversprung to start with, having a weird 2 spring setup (front sight dips after each shot). There are some who have installed HK45c mag release but i read they don't work all the time.

If you tune it right, a USP40 can bring to you within 10% of a good STI edge performance. Good luck!

PS
A Bruce Gray trigger treatment if you even want to take things further and is not constrained by budget. Also, a Lukas Koukal treatment (search "buthering the recoil assembly") if you really seriously want to get to the top of the charts.

 

[III The Chad III]

There are some who have installed HK45c mag release but i read they don't work all the time.

FWIW, I have the HK45c mag release on my USP 9mm that I use for USPSA (same frame as the USP 40) and it works like a champ.

 

[442]

The HK45 safety lever can be fitted to the USP series? I knew the mag release could, but not the safety lever.

 

[Blazer-6]

yes, i run a HK45 safety lever on my USPt40. it's a V9 (no decock) and i love the feel. it makes for less fumble, an i ride it with my thumb just like a 1911. looks great too. The HK45c mag release on a USP, a 40 in particular, is hit or miss. oddly, the problems i read (falling mags) only occur on 40s. Here's a pic, together with the Garrett holster for the benefit of the OP

 

[442]

Blazer-6,

That's interesting. I've handled a few USP's and shot the .40, and while I have no problems with the standard lever itself, I have small hands and when it's in the "fire" position it gets in the way of my thumb when reaching for the slide release. There's no issue when in the "safe" position. I have this same issue on the compact series. Would this mod give me more room to work around it? Can a similar mod be done on the compact series?

Thanks

 

[Blazer-6]

I edited my post above, because the issue is with the USP40 falling mags is with the HK45c mag release, not the safety like i wrote.

as for the hk45 safety, i also did that mod because i have small hands. my first solution actually was to convert to LEM-match hybrid, which i found to have more SA creep than the match, hence converting to match v9. my issue is not the slide release but when i ride the safety with my thumb when firing, im struggling to get a grip on the gun. also works the other way around - when i get a full grip on the gun, i cant reach the safety lever properly. with the new lever, the issue is gone. with the slide release, i don't remember having the issue with the old safety lever and i'm also not having that issue now. but this might be because we access the slide release lever in a different way.

i honestly wouldnt know if this will work in a compact, because i don't own one.

 

[442]

I edited my post above, because the issue is with the USP40 falling mags is with the HK45c mag release, not the safety like i wrote.

as for the hk45 safety, i also did that mod because i have small hands. my first solution actually was to convert to LEM-match hybrid, which i found to have more SA creep than the match, hence converting to match v9. my issue is not the slide release but when i ride the safety with my thumb when firing, im struggling to get a grip on the gun. also works the other way around - when i get a full grip on the gun, i cant reach the safety lever properly. with the new lever, the issue is gone. with the slide release, i don't remember having the issue with the old safety lever and i'm also not having that issue now. but this might be because we access the slide release lever in a different way.

i honestly wouldnt know if this will work in a compact, because i don't own one.

Many thanks!

 

[C.O.M.]

i'll recommend a Silent Thunder from Garrett Industries. they are delightful kydex holsters, lined with leather in the inside. if you're serious about competitive shooting with the USP, i'll also recommend an HK match trigger set, conversion to V9 (if allowed where you intend to shoot, i shoot IPSC standard), an HK45 safety lever, and a jet funnel magwell. I also recommend a reduced power (10#) recoil spring from wolff, since the USP behaves oversprung to start with, having a weird 2 spring setup (front sight dips after each shot). There are some who have installed HK45c mag release but i read they don't work all the time.

If you tune it right, a USP40 can bring to you within 10% of a good STI edge performance. Good luck!

PS
A Bruce Gray trigger treatment if you even want to take things further and is not constrained by budget. Also, a Lukas Koukal treatment (search "buthering the recoil assembly") if you really seriously want to get to the top of the charts.

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked out the holsters and I am very interested in getting one. Which model do you have and which mount do you use on yours? Does the gun hold close to the body and do you know if the 6 degree half cant is allowed in IDPA? Your appears to be a no cant version, if so how do you like that setup?

 

[Blazer-6]

mine is a silent thunder champion, with the open breech. I got the standard (Hi/Lo) belt loop mount which i think they call sporting now, where the breech face goes to the center of the belt. theres a higher one where the center of the ejection port is centered on the belt, and there's also a drooped and offset probably for dedicated IPSC. i chose this one because of versatility. it's supposed to comes standard with this but i got a the higher one in quick mount and did't like it. Ronnie sent me the standard mount for free (Internationally!) for others, there are quick mounts, which i got for my mag carriers, also paddles and stabilizers.

I had to modify the holster a little because it is for a standard USP40. ronnie garrett e-mailed me very detailed instructions with pictures when i asked how to modify it. i had to raise the sight channel for my tall suppressor sights, and open up the front a bit for the threaded barrel. I used a heat gun and pencil for the process, and it's perfect now.

about the cant, it's perfectly adjustable. you could turn it up side down

On level 1 competitions, i wear this on a ranger belt, + hat and boots. It looks so western IMO, my buddies LOL at me

ok, those aren't cowboy boots...

 

[C.O.M.]

mine is a silent thunder champion, with the open breech. I got the standard (Hi/Lo) belt loop mount which i think they call sporting now, where the breech face goes to the center of the belt. theres a higher one where the center of the ejection port is centered on the belt, and there's also a drooped and offset probably for dedicated IPSC. i chose this one because of versatility. it's supposed to comes standard with this but i got a the higher one in quick mount and did't like it. Ronnie sent me the standard mount for free (Internationally!) for others, there are quick mounts, which i got for my mag carriers, also paddles and stabilizers.
I had to modify the holster a little because it is for a standard USP40. ronnie garrett e-mailed me very detailed instructions with pictures when i asked how to modify it. i had to raise the sight channel for my tall suppressor sights, and open up the front a bit for the threaded barrel. I used a heat gun and pencil for the process, and it's perfect now.

about the cant, it's perfectly adjustable. you could turn it up side down

On level 1 competitions, i wear this on a ranger belt, + hat and boots. It looks so western IMO, my buddies LOL at me

ok, those aren't cowboy boots...

Thanks for the help. I have a pair of boots very similar to those they are the Oakley spec ops or tactical I can't remember. So now the new setup is called the sporting, and this allows for a hi or low carry. One last thing can you let me know if this setup allows the gun to ride close to the body? Thanks

 

[cjennings]

I use a safariland holster, works great.

Change to V9 no decocker... trust me you will be much happier and not embarrassed when you ride your slide with your thumb.

 

[Blazer-6]

yes it does get the gun quite close, but there are "STX" mounts and those really get the holster flush on you - as in CCW flush.
Those boots by the way are altamas, USMC spec. the vibram soles aren't really suited for the muddy tropics we operate in, a panama pattern still excels in that IMO. our army issue boots are panama sole, but they take quite long to break in because they are so darn hard. I think comfort was the procurment board's last priority. these altama boots have now become my alternate for non-combat duties. sometimes also for costume play, haha

 

[C.O.M.]

yes it does get the gun quite close, but there are "STX" mounts and those really get the holster flush on you - as in CCW flush.
Those boots by the way are altamas, USMC spec. the vibram soles aren't really suited for the muddy tropics we operate in, a panama pattern still excels in that IMO. our army issue boots are panama sole, but they take quite long to break in because they are so darn hard. I think comfort was the procurment board's last priority. these altama boots have now become my alternate for non-combat duties. sometimes also for costume play, haha

Thanks once again for the info. I wish I had boots like the Oakleys I now wear when I was in the Marines in the early 80's. We just had those destroy your feet until you break them in leather boots. We had regular and jump boots at that time. I like the holster that you have but I was also checking out the STX earlier.

 

[C.O.M.]

I use a safariland holster, works great.

Change to V9 no decocker... trust me you will be much happier and not embarrassed when you ride your slide with your thumb.

Thanks I did see some of the Safariland models that caught my eye.

 

[Blazer-6]

i also had my eyes on comp-tac, a blade tech. What appealed to me most with the garretts (i thin tucker leather of texas also has something similar) is the leather lining. it makes a subtle wear on the gun's finish, one which others would say add "character" to the weapon, unlike kydex which makes hideous marks on a gun in my experience. About quietness, i didn't really care about that, in fact i sort of miss the sound of a gun busting its way out of kydex sometimes.